Electrical and/or electronic assemblies are typically formed of components which are interconnected by electrical conductors such as wire and cable and physically mounted on a frame to provide a given end function. The frame may serve as a housing, or part of a housing to hold the components in a desired spacial relationship. Computer, communication gear, appliances of all types are thus constructed with components ranging from power supplies to key boards, switches, displays, timers, heater elements, and a variety of functioning devices. The means of interconnecting such components typically include harnesses formed of discrete wires or cables of wires, or in certain instances rigid or flexible etched circuits. The spacial relationship of components coupled with the mounting thereof on frames has led to a practice of securing and mounting the components on the frame followed by interconnection with a flexible harness applied thereafter. Interconnections between components and circuits are achieved by connectors utilizing pin and socket electrical terminals, or solder, or the use of wire nuts which interconnect wire ends together. These are the typical practices employed for providing an interconnection of components in a housing or frame with appropriate circuits.
The present invention has as an object the provision of an improved packaging system for interconnecting components which reduces the labor of circuit interconnection and makes the installation of interconnections more reliable. A further object is to provide a packaging system for interconnecting components wherein the components are mounted mechanically to a frame having the circuit previously mounted thereto in a position to interconnect to component terminals. Still another object is to provide a frame, component and circuit assembly where the interconnections are made during assembly through a broad area of contact with an elastomeric conductive medium which is tolerance accommodating and facilitates assembly essentially along a single axis.